Robots opens on a world built entirely of machines, and its best idea arrives early: a young inventor named Rodney Copperbottom who believes spare parts should be free. That premise gives the 2005 Blue Sky Studios film a real spine, even when the plot around it settles for the usual.
Trailer, via timochleo.
Rodney Copperbottom Leaves Rivet Town
Rodney is the son of Herb and Lydia Copperbottom of Rivet Town. He builds the Wonderbot to help his father, a restaurant dishwasher, until the machine malfunctions in front of Herb’s boss, Mr. Gunk, and wrecks the kitchen. To cover the damages, Rodney heads for Robot City to show the Wonderbot to his idol, Bigweld.
He is thrown out of Bigweld Industries by its new CEO, Phineas T. Ratchet. With Bigweld absent, Ratchet has stopped making spare parts for outmoded robots and pushed pricey “upgrades” instead. His mother, Madame Gasket, runs the Chop Shop, which recycles scrap — including dead and outmoded robots — into ingots.
Fender, Cappy, and the Rusties
Rodney falls in with Fender Pinwheeler and a crew of outmoded robots called the Rusties. They repair outmodes across the neighborhood until the parts shortage overwhelms them. At the Bigweld Ball, Ratchet announces Bigweld will not appear. Cappy, an executive who opposes Ratchet, saves Rodney and Fender when security moves on them.
The biggest comedy ever assembled!
The cast is deep: Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey and Robin Williams, with Jim Broadbent, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest, Harland Williams and Jennifer Coolidge.
Where the Film Slows
| Beat | What happens |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Rodney is ejected from Bigweld Industries |
| Alliance | He meets Fender and the Rusties |
| Ball | Ratchet says Bigweld will not attend |
| Rescue | Cappy saves Rodney and Fender |
Critics praised the humor, the animation and the performances. They called the story somewhat formulaic.
Robots grossed $262.5 million against a $75–80 million budget, and a sequel was discussed but never made, with the studio turning to Ice Age instead. That math explains the film better than any review: it was a hit, and it was still disposable. Wedge and his writers built a sharp world and handed it a formula. Worth watching once.
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